He has chosen an icon of Milanese Giovanni Cova & c, to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the famous Milanese company of Panettoni: Meneghino. Character of the Milanese theater, conceived by Carlo Maria Maggi and later becoming the mask of the commedia dell'arte, taking the place of Beltrame, Meneghino can undoubtedly be considered the popular symbol of the city of Milan so much so that the term Milanese is normally used to identify the citizens of Milan and as an adjective it indicates what is most characteristic of the city and its inhabitants.
The character of Meneghino was originally that of the witty servant derived from the figure of Zanni, but characterized above all by honesty, sincerity (also symbolized by the fact that, unlike many characters in the commedia dell'arte, he does not wear a mask) and a strong sense of justice.
Over the centuries, Meneghino has assumed various roles on the stage, including that of landlord, farmer and merchant.
Accompanied by his wife Cecca in the Ambrosian Carnival parades, Meneghino usually wears a cocked hat over a black wig with a pigtail, a long jacket with a yellow or otherwise colored floral waistcoat over a white shirt, knee-length shorts and green, red and white stripes, and finally black shoes with buckles.
And here it is now appearing on the celebratory package of Panettone from Giovanni Cova & c, now owned by the Muzzi family.
To celebrate this important milestone, Christmas 2020 will be celebrated with a new iconic design of the historic character of Meneghino redesigned by one of the most famous Italian illustrators, Stefano Riboli, already the pencil of major global FMCG brands.
It was 1930, when the Belle Epoque promoted an eclectic, worldly, international lifestyle and had as its cornerstone the pursuit of luxury and a pleasantness of life. Unbridled and "roaring" years, in a context of Italian history crossed by war, revolutions and inflation.
Two pastry chefs, Agostino Panigada and Giovanni Cova, open a confectionary laboratory in Via Monza. They are the heirs of a tradition that began in 1905, when during the Milanese Belle Époque Angelo Grioni founded his pastry shop in via Amerigo Vespucci. His daughter Rosa marries Agostino Panigada and together with her brother-in-law Giovanni Cova they give life to Giovanni Cova & C.
The great idea of the three pastry chefs is to reproduce the panettone of the ancient Milanese tradition by hand and Giovanni Cova & C. soon establishes itself as the "brand that renews a tradition".
To underline the primacy of the "luxury panettone", advertising posters are posted which tell the story of the wonderful leavened cake in images, which has since been surmounted by a showy royal crown.
